In his speech at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, Jindal said the White House is "literally using the laws that were designed to protect the interest of minority children. They are using these same laws to try to trap these children in failing schools."

Jindal also extended an offer to the administration.

"I want to issue again an invitation to the president and to the attorney general, if they truly believe in the justice of their cause to come and look in the eyes of the moms and dads and those little kids and explain to them why those children should be trapped in failing schools," he said. "Now remember this is a program where, otherwise these kids would be in C, D, or F public schools."

The Justice Department contends the vouchers should not be issued until they are approved by a federal court.